


Where We Belong

by the_savage_daughter_0627



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Avatar (TV) Fusion, F/M, Implied Katara/Zuko (Avatar), Katara - Freeform, Slow Burn Katara/Zuko (Avatar), Zuko (Avatar)-centric, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-18
Updated: 2020-07-18
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:06:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,867
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25368835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_savage_daughter_0627/pseuds/the_savage_daughter_0627
Summary: An AU where it's Katara who shows up in Zuko's room before his coronation instead of Mai. My take on how the show should have ended.
Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 13
Kudos: 200





	Where We Belong

**Author's Note:**

> This is a one-shot, but I've got a few ideas for a prequel and a sequel. If it's popular enough, I might turn it into a novella. It's also posted to fanfiction.net and wattpad.com.

It had been two days since the Agni Kai with Azula. Katara had won. Deep down, he always knew she would. But he still couldn’t believe it was finally over.

He had done it. He had saved her life. And in return, Katara had saved him. Zuko hadn’t been able to think of much else ever since. Until today...a few more days to recuperate would have been nice, but the coronation could no longer be put off. He would have to grin and bear it and hope he didn’t collapse in the middle of the ceremony.

Zuko struggled into his robe, his stomach burning with pain. Katara’s healing abilities had done wonders for his wound, but it was still raw and would take weeks to finish healing. Lightning really did a number on a person. Who knew?

“Having some trouble, Zuko?”

He looked up and saw the healer herself standing in the doorway of his chambers. She had on a formal silk qipao in the colors of the Fire Nation, but she wore her hair in a traditional Water Tribe style. Her mother’s necklace was around her neck. He had seen her in his nation’s colors before, but this time it was different somehow. She looked beautiful.

“Katara,” he said, his voice huskier than usual with surprise.

She nodded toward his wound. “I thought you could use one more healing session before your coronation today.”

Zuko put his hand over his bandaged abdomen. “Yeah, that might be a good idea. It still hurts.”

“That’s to be expected I’m afraid.” Katara went to where he stood before the open balcony and undid the bandages as carefully as she could, frowning when he winced in pain. 

“Okay, I’m done. Lie down.”

Zuko obeyed her. He limped over to his bed and lay down with a painful grunt. Katara knelt over him and drew water from the animal skin pouch at her waist. The water enveloped her hands and she placed them on his wounded chest. The water glowed as the healing began to take effect. He eventually relaxed under her restoring touch. The pain slowly ebbed away as the cool water soothed his wound. 

“Are you ready to become Fire Lord?” Katara inquired as she worked. Her tone was soft, gentle.

“I am,” Zuko said confidently. He chuckled, then winced at the twinge of pain. “You know...a year ago I never imagined any of this would be possible. I thought I was cursed to wander the earth searching for the Avatar forever. I thought that was my destiny.”

Katara smiled at him. “Destiny is a funny thing, isn’t it?”

Zuko couldn’t help but smirk at the memories of how many times Uncle had said nearly the same thing to him. “It is. My uncle always said that. I never really believed him, until I realized I could make my own destiny. That I didn’t have to live the destiny someone else forced onto me.”

“A year ago, I was just the last waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe,” she murmured as she worked. “I had never given much thought to my destiny at all. I’m not sure I believed in that. I know I wanted to travel to the North Pole to find a master to teach me. That's what I wanted for my life, even though I believed it was unlikely that it would ever happen.”

“And now look at you.” Zuko smiled softly. “You’re a true Master.”

She offered a small smile at that. “My destiny was to help Aang, the same as you,” Katara said. “And we did. Now you get to continue to help the world by becoming the Fire Lord and restoring peace amongst the nations alongside Aang.”

“What about you?” Zuko inquired. “Have you thought about what you’re going to do now that the war is over and Ozai has been defeated?” 

Katara looked away. “You know, it’s funny. This war has gone on for a century. It has been here my whole life. And when we found Aang, Sokka and I knew we had to help him end it. But I’ve never put much thought into what came after. Defeating Fire Lord Ozai was the only thing that mattered. Now that it’s over and done with, I...don’t know what I’ll do.” 

“Do you think you’ll go home? To the Southern Water Tribe?”

Katara shook her head with uncertainty. “I’m not sure. I do miss my family...but I don’t know if that’s where I’m needed most. Home will be okay without me. From what Master Pakku has told me, they are working with the Northern Water Tribe to build the Southern tribe up. I need to be somewhere that truly needs me. But I don’t know where that is.”

Before he could stop himself, the words he had been thinking for the last few days rushed out of him. “Stay here with me, in the Fire Nation.”. They locked eyes. Color rose in his cheeks. That wasn’t how he’d meant to say that. Zuko cleared his throat, embarrassed. “I mean...it’s going to take a lot of work to rebuild trust with the other nations. Having a renowned waterbender and friend of the Avatar on my side may help smooth things along.”

Katara turned her attention to her healing hands, her cheeks hot. “Maybe...I’ll consider that offer. Thank you, Zuko.” She smiled at him as she pulled her hands away and bended the water back into the skin. “How does that feel?”

He propped himself up on one elbow and with his other hand examined his wound. It was healing nicely, but it would leave a nasty scar, perhaps even worse than the one on his face. “It feels a lot better now. Hopefully I can get through my coronation without keeling over. Thanks, Katara.”

“I can always work on it again after it’s over with too,” Katara said. She helped him sit up and then wrapped fresh bandages around his midriff. When she was done, she stood, straightening the skirt of her kimono. “You better hurry up and get ready, Fire Lord. You wouldn’t want to be late to your own coronation.”

Zuko sat upright and grinned at her. “I won’t be. I’ll see you out there.” 

He got to his feet. Even with the healing, his stomach still felt like it was on fire. It reminded him of when his father had burned his face, but worse. He never knew a worse pain than that could exist. Zuko grunted as he tried to shrug into his robe. Katara turned back to him, resting one hand on the door.

“Do you need some help with that?” she asked softly.

Zuko looked up at her sheepishly. He gave her a crooked smirk. “Uh, yeah. That might be nice.”

Katara crossed back over to him and helped guide his arm into the sleeve. She secured the sash around his waist with a gentle tug. For a moment, her hands lingered there, her eyes cast downward. 

“What’s on your mind, Katara?” His voice was low, husky.

Katara looked out of the window at the sunset. Two spots of pink had risen to her cheeks. “I just…” A painful lump formed in her throat as she fought back the tears she had been holding inside for too long. “I just wanted to say that I’m so grateful, Zuko, for what you did. If you hadn’t taken that bolt of lightning for me, I would be dead right now. You didn’t have to do that.”

He was taken aback by her unexpected remark. “Of course I did,” Zuko replied softly. “Aang would have killed me otherwise.”

Katara couldn’t suppress a smile at that. Then she sombered and shook her head, lowering her eyes. “Your life is worth more than mine. You were born to rule the Fire Nation. If you had died,” She paused, swallowing that painful lump. “What would have happened? Azula would be attending her coronation, and the war would continue. If I had died, Aang still would have defeated Ozai and you would have beat Azula. Everything would have been fine.”

Zuko looked at her in disbelief. How could she even think that? “For the rest of the world, maybe. But not for your friends.” Tentatively he lifted his right hand and caressed her cheek with his finger. “And not for me.” His voice was hushed.

Katara looked at him, surprise coloring her soft features. 

He closed the distance between them until he could see the small streaks of white and darker blue in her cerulean eyes. With the same hand he brushed a stray lock of hair from her cheek. “Who would have known we would go from hating each other to actually being friends?” He smiled as he gazed into her eyes. They were eyes he had seen a thousand times before and yet, it was as if he was looking into them for the first time. 

“Not me.” She meant for the words to have a sarcastic bite, but she found it had suddenly become difficult to breathe and the words were barely more than a whisper  
She had dropped her gaze again. Zuko put a finger under her chin and lifted her head. Her eyes were questioning, searching. He knew what he wanted to do. But would she let him? Zuko wasn’t sure what was going on between her and the Avatar. But she wasn’t pulling away.

“Can I kiss you?”

Her eyes widened in response. Her mind reeled as it processed the question. She had been confused about her feelings for so long; Aang’s pressure on her to return his love had only confused her more. And perhaps that was because the man standing before her, the one who had thrown himself in front of a bolt of lightning he couldn’t possibly redirect without taking damage, had been the one who her heart had truly been calling for. Katara blinked and she realized he was patiently waiting for her to respond. His eyes were soft pools of liquid gold. Unable to speak, she nodded.

Slowly, carefully, in case she changed her mind, Zuko leaned in. He felt the slightest hesitation when his lips met hers, but then she closed her eyes and relaxed beneath his touch. He deepened the kiss, bringing his hands to cup her cheeks as her fingers gripped the front of his robe, pulling him in closer. It was as though the stars had aligned.

When they broke away, breathless, Katara’s cheeks were flushed. She cleared her throat and let her fingers graze his scarred cheek. “You better get ready,” she murmured. “Or you really will be late.”

Katara walked away but she trailed her fingers down his wrist and gave his hand a soft squeeze before she left the room. His palm buzzed with electricity after she let go. He could still feel the impression of her mouth on his. He knew he was going to want to feel that again, and soon.

Zuko watched her go. With a sudden realization, the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation realized he felt utterly at peace for the first time in years...


End file.
